Baldwin's Dancing With The Stars appearance questioned amid deposition refusal
Actor Alec Baldwin has faced criticism for attending a live taping of Dancing with the Stars to support his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, despite his ongoing refusal to participate in a deposition regarding the Rust film set shooting, according to reports from Us Weekly.
On November 12, legal counsel for Serge Svetnoy, a gaffer involved in the 2024 production who has sought Alec's deposition since March, stated, “Each time, [Alec and the co-defendants] cited unavailability or outright declined to provide testimony.”
Svetnoy alleged numerous delays occurred because of the actor's “demands for professional scheduling adjustments.”
The gaffer highlighted that “even though he asserted work obligations for the majority of September 2025, Alec, aged 67, made a trip to and attended the live recording of a Dancing With the Stars episode in Los Angeles, California, to cheer on his spouse.” (Alec's wife, Hilaria, was the fourth participant removed from season 34 of DWTS on October 7.)
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As Us initially disclosed, Alec petitioned the court to mandate that he undergo only a single deposition, which would be admissible in both Svetnoy’s legal action and a separate lawsuit concerning the on-set shooting incident. He asserted that he shouldn't be required to attend numerous depositions.
Svetnoy's legal representative further stated, “What actions has [Alec] taken over the last six months to facilitate this deposition? [Svetnoy] has shown patience and has collaborated with [Alec’s] legal team consistently. This fact is undeniable. However, as the aphorism often ascribed to Albert Einstein suggests, ‘Insanity is doing the identical action repeatedly and anticipating varying outcomes.’ [Svetnoy] now seeks to end this pattern of irrationality.”
The legal dispute commenced in 2021 when Svetnoy initiated his lawsuit against the actor. Alec, who also served as a producer for the Western film, faced accusations of inflicting emotional distress upon the gaffer.
Svetnoy stated he suffered trauma after witnessing his colleague Halyna Hutchins being fatally wounded by a gunshot during filming. Alec was in possession of the firearm when it discharged but has maintained he did not depress the trigger. The weapon was not meant to contain live ammunition.
Alec refuted all claims of culpability in both the civil proceeding and a criminal case filed against him.
The felony charges against Alec were dismissed in July 2024 following the court's finding of purported misconduct by the prosecuting attorneys.
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The involuntary manslaughter proceedings were definitively concluded in October 2024 after a judicial decision prevented their reopening, representing a setback for the prosecution team seeking accountability from Alec.
In the civil legal action, Svetnoy asserted he endured “emotional anguish” from observing Hutchins' death and the near impact of the projectile.
Within court submissions from Alec's legal counsel, his lawyer stated, “A tragic accidental shooting claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on a film set situated near Santa Fe, New Mexico.”
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Halyna's survivors included her spouse, Matthew Hutchins, and their child. This pair brought legal actions against Alec and the movie's producers, which the actor subsequently resolved.
Alec contended that the settlement ought to have concluded the matter, yet Svetnoy proceeded to file a lawsuit against him.
Alec’s legal representative stated, “Svetnoy initiated this litigation, asserting harm predicated solely on his proximity when the prop firearm discharged and the live ammunition — which was not supposed to be in the weapon and which those accountable had just assured Mr. Baldwin was inert — passed in front of [Svetnoy].”
